Soundview
Park Project Vision
To make Soundview Park a widely used, safe and fun community-gathering place that reflects the character of our neighborhood.
Soundview Park Project Headlines:
Old Headlines
Thousands of plants were planted at the Landscape Planting work parties on May 31st and June 14th, and at several smaller work parties in June and July. Many great volunteers donated their time and energy - Thank you! Thanks also to Green Darner Garden Design (206-941-1478) and Deb Stamey for organizing and supervising the work parties and to Seattle Parks for providing the tools.
Volunteers planting over 2000 Mahonia
Great Turnout At Play Equipment Work Parties
The Play Equipment Installation work parties on May 3rd and 4th were a huge success because so many great volunteers lent a helping hand - 47 volunteers put in over 200 volunteer hours. Thank you!
Thank you also to:
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Safeway on 85th for donating a portion of the cost of the fabulous sandwiches & donuts
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Jean for those delicious “muffins for a bunch”
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Myla for the crowd pleasing cookies and brownies
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Tully’s Coffee for keeping everyone going
Dedicated volunteers construct play equipment
Whitman Middle School Students Plant Trees
Whitman Middle School science students planted trees provided by the Seattle Street Tree program on April 18th. Green Darner Garden Design (206-941-1478) and Ross & Schwartz Landscaping (206-782-6593, 206-718-5838, erjs@speakeasy.org) donated their time and considerable expertise to assist the students. Bob Baines, Parks Department Senior Gardener, also lent his vast experience to the project. Tools and materials were provided by the Parks Department. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Bob Baines teaches tree planting basics
Soundview Project Breaks Ground
The Soundview Park Ground-breaking party on September 22 was a fun community event. The sun was shining and the Cordon Blues set a party mood with some great Chicago-style blues music. Kids enjoyed games, jumping in the inflatable train, and sitting in a real fire truck. Thank you Seattle Fire Department! Many local businesses donated to a successful raffle:
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Olympic Sports
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Snowboard Connection
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Northwave
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3GI Sports
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Top Ten Toys
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Imagination Toys
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Papa Murphy's Pizza
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Soprano's Pizza
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Mailbox Etc.
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Swanson's
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Annie's Affordable Art
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Casey @ Salon 70
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Avon Representative - Carol Simmons
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Artist - David Thompson
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Ice Cream from Bob Lindsey
Speakers included Ken Bounds, Director Seattle Parks, Yvonne Sanchez, Director Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, and Larry Phillips, King County Council. Neighborhood children officially broke ground.
Soundview Park Ground-Breaking
Ballard Windermere joined the Soundview Park Project Steering Committee and the Seattle Parks Department for a work party at Soundview Park on June 21st, 2002. Volunteers spent the day weeding, planting flowers, mulching, cleaning, and spreading many wheelbarrow loads of sand. The park looks great! Thank you to members of Ballard Windermere for donating their time to improve Soundview Park!
Soundview Park Brochure Available
Check
out the Soundview Park
Brochure (1MB)!
Read about project history and how you can help make park renovations a
reality. If you would like a copy mailed to you, please email: soundv@scn.org.
Brochure designed by Good Graphics - The brochure requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you click on the link and get an error, download Acrobat Reader at no cost.
Governor Locke Signs Bill - $200,000 For Soundview
On March 28, 2002, Governor Gary Locke signed into law the state construction budget and other economic stimulus bills. Included in the state construction budget is $200,000 for the Soundview Park Project. This $200,000 is a great boost to fund-raising for Soundview Park renovations and will help the project stay on schedule. The estimated cost to complete the park renovations is $450,000.
Governor
Locke referred to the construction budget (Engrossed Senate Bill 6396) as
"a product of terrific, bipartisan cooperation in the
Legislature". Many of the projects financed by the construction budget
are small, urgently needed renovations, such as the Soundview project,
which can get under way this spring and summer, saving or creating jobs in
Washington.
Play Equipment and Landscape Workshops - Productive and Fun!
Two public workshops were held to gather input for the construction drawings phase of the Soundview Park project.
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Play Equipment Workshop on Feb. 27th
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Landscape Elements Workshop on Mar. 13th.
Attendees had fun discussing play equipment and landscape materials. The play equipment workshop also included cutting and pasting!! Some great ideas were captured.
At the play equipment workshop there was general agreement that all swings should be located together, near a large play structure in the center of the park. A toddler tug boat was selected for the top of the climbing mound and a daisy rocker was also favored for younger children. Rotating hanging bars, a cable slide, and Galaxy (Spica) equipment were selected for older youths/ teens.
Crazy Daisy - Kompan |
Spica 1-2-3 - Galaxy |
At the landscape elements workshop Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) were chosen for new tree plantings. Several alternatives were selected for a signature tree - Japanese Pagoda Tree (Sophora japonica), Yoshino Cherry, Empress, Kentucky Coffee Tree, Red Oak. Groundcovers and shrubs were also discussed. The group agreed to research lighting options for the park.
Input from these two community meetings has been incorporated in the current Soundview Master Plan.
Third Public Design Meeting a Success!
On January 10th a community meeting was held at Whitman Middle School. More than 130 people attended! A draft master site plan was reviewed and there was agreement to move forward with renovations at Soundview Park.
Click to view the draft master site plan that includes input from the January 10th meeting and recommendations from Seattle Parks CORE review in January.
For more information, click on the following links:
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Status update letter sent to community meeting attendees on Jan 31st.
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Meeting notes from the January 10th community meeting.
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Fundraising flyer explaining how you can help by donating time, materials, and money.
The flyer requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. If you click on the flyer link and get an error message, please click here to download Acrobat Reader at no cost.
Controversy Impedes Progress At Second Public Meeting
On November 27th a community meeting was held at Whitman Middle School to evaluate three draft alternative site plans for the future Soundview Park. Turnout was great - more than 64 people attended! Attendees expressed strong opinions about the future of Soundview Park. A debate about opening the end of 92nd Street as a park entry dominated the meeting, but some input was gathered on other ideas presented in the three draft plans. Community discussion centered on the following topics:
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Play elements, keeping in mind young as well as older children using the park in separate areas
- Continuous walkway around the park
- Shelter for community use and the Parks Department Summer Program
- Re-grading of slope to allow for better site lines through the park
- Parking, congestion, and emergency access
- Activities in the park at night
- Additional pedestrian access/entry point at 92nd Street
- Park maintenance
Andy Sheffer from Seattle Parks and Recreation agreed to address issues related to opening the end of 92nd Street, parking, and park maintenance. For meeting minutes, click here.
Click to view the three alternative site plans. If you have comments or suggestions, please send e-mail to: soundv@scn.org. We value and need your input!
Sub-section of draft plan #1
Since the 2nd public meeting, a decision has been made to leave the existing barrier at the end of 92nd Street in place and the Soundview Park Project Steering Committee has expanded to include three neighbors that have homes immediately bordering the park and two community members from Crown Hill. A project status update letter was sent to all meeting attendees on December 8, 2001. To view a copy, click here.
The next step is to evaluate a draft Master Site Plan that incorporates the desired features from the three draft site plans. The draft Master Site Plan will be presented at Community Meeting #3 on Thursday, January 10th, 6:30pm at Whitman Middle School.
It is essential to the future of Soundview Park and the community process that community members attend the Soundview Park Project community meetings and voice their ideas and opinions. The project team is committed to renovating Soundview Park within the community process set forth by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. We need to hear from all community members so that the interests of the entire community are represented in the final Master Site Plan.
Please don't underestimate the importance of your input - active neighborhood participation is vital to the community planning process.
You can help shape the future of Soundview Park! A community- sponsored design effort is underway.
Come to four planning meetings to help create a master site plan. Bring your passion for quality of life in our neighborhood, dedication to children, design ideas, wish list, questions and concerns. Make a lasting contribution to our community!
Community Meeting #1 (supervised children’s activities provided)
Time: Tuesday, October 23rd at 6:30 P.M.
Place: Whitman Middle School Library
Goal: Brainstorm design ideas with landscape architect
Children attending neighborhood preschools shared some of their ideas for a fun place to play. Hear about their ideas and see their drawings at the first community meeting.
Community Meeting #2 (supervised children’s activities provided)
Time: Tuesday, November 27th at 6:30 P.M.
Place: Whitman Middle School Library
Goal: Evaluate 3 conceptual plans presented by landscape architect
Community Meeting #3 (supervised children’s activities provided)
Time: Thursday, January 10th at 6:30 P.M.
Place: Whitman Middle School Library
Goal: Evaluate A Draft Master Site Plan
Results of each meeting will be posted here on the Soundview Park Project web site.
First Public Design Meeting a Huge Success!
On October 23rd a community meeting was held at Whitman Middle School to gather design ideas for the future Soundview Park. More than sixty people attended! After brief project and site analysis overviews, the community was asked to share their thoughts about Soundview Park. Many great ideas were captured and important issues were discussed.
See the following links for more information: Suggestions from speakers at the meeting & Suggestions from the suggestion box.
Community Meeting #1
The next step is to shape the input from the community in to three conceptual alternatives. These alternatives will be presented at Community Meeting #2 on November 27, 2001, 6:30pm at Whitman Middle School.
Whitman Middle School Students Share Their Ideas
Ideas for improving Soundview Park were gathered by Kinsey, a student at Whitman Middle School, from thirty-two schoolmates. Whitman students expressed a lot of enthusiasm for the Soundview Park Project in general. Interest in participating in the construction phase is high. The most popular improvement suggestions are: lights, a skateboard park, a bigger slide, flowers, and a glider (see drawing below). Click to view a complete list of suggestions.
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Ideas submitted by Whitman Middle School students
Neighborhood Preschool Children Share Their Ideas
Children attending the following neighborhood pre-schools have shared some of their ideas for a fun place to play. Swings are the #1 request. The children's drawings have been shared at the Soundview Park Project community meetings. Click to view additional pre-school art examples.
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Small Faces Child Development Center, Crown Hill
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Infinity Pre-School, North Beach
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Ballard Free Methodist Pre-School, Ballard
Alyssa - Ballard Free Methodist Pre-School
Soundview Park Project - A Brief Description
Phase I - Design & Planning - Oct 2001 to Jan 2002
In
July ‘01 a small group of neighborhood families committed themselves to
spearheading the renovation of Soundview Park/playground.
Our
vision is to make Soundview Park a widely used, safe and fun
community-gathering place that reflects the character of our neighborhood.
In August the committee was awarded a $10,000 Small & Simple
Matching Fund Planning Grant by Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods.
Our community will match this grant with at least $5,000 in
volunteer time, cash, and in-kind contributions. This grant is for Phase
I. This phase will:
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Involve the community in creating a vision for the park
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Use a landscape architect to generate a site plan and coordinate project approval by Seattle Parks & Recreation
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Establish cost estimates for use in implementing the renovation
Phases II
& III – Construction
Details & Park Renovation
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Feb to late summer 2002
We
are now in the midst of the planning phase and are putting together the
resources necessary for the success of Phases II & III.
The final park design will dictate the project costs. However, experience of other communities that have undertaken
similar projects indicate costs will likely be in excess of $250,000.
The Soundview Park Project Committee is applying for several large
grants to fund a major portion of the renovation.
Yet, most of these grants require that our community
demonstrate strong support.
This will come in the form of pledges of volunteer time (both
skilled and unskilled), contribution of materials, and raising modest but
crucial funds from the community.
Timeline
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Planning Oct 2001 to Feb 2002 |
Detailing Feb to May 2002 |
Building late summer 2002 |
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Consider
the opportunities for involvement and give generously to help make the
Soundview Park vision a reality. Your
help is crucial to the success of the renovation!
Seattle Police Support Soundview Park Improvements
The Seattle Police Department CPTED (Crime
Prevention Through Environmental Design) team met with the Soundview Park
Project Steering Committee, Andy Sheffer of the Seattle Parks Department,
the project’s landscape architect David Ringstrom, and other interested
neighbors on October 3, 2001. A second
on-site meeting was held on November 27, 2001 with neighbors who have
concerns about park safety and access. The meetings focused on design elements that would help to reduce
undesirable activities in the park and opportunities for crime.
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Natural Surveillance |
Eliminate (minimize) hiding places Individuals can easily see around themselves Police and neighbors can see into the park Night lighting can attract undesirable users Any surrounding fences should be seen through |
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Increase Ownership |
Plan
design should attract multiple user groups at varying times of the day |
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Access |
Increased access attracts more users In an emergency, additional access provides a quicker response Multiple
exit routes from the park |
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Other Design Elements |
911-only Phone Box installation Signage
stating park hours & code of conduct |
If you have questions or comments, please send us some e-mail: soundv@scn.org
